Shade



Jan. 25, 1944. R. B. REID ET AL 2,339,878

7 SHADE Filed may 11, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 SEORGE A.PRE STON- ATTORNEYS Jan. 25, 1944. R. B. REID ET AL SHADE Filed May 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g/g v? w I mva Eifi i my/ y/ FIG.2.

INVENTORS ROBERT B. REID BY 'GEORGE A.PRESTON ATTORNEYS 1 Jan. 25, 1944 I R. B. REID ET AL 2,339,873

SHADE Filed May 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ROBERT 'B.RE|D By GE/ORGE A.PRESTON ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 25, 1944 UNITED STATE SHADE Robert B. Reid, Grosse Pointe, and George A.

Preston, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 11, 1942, Serial No. 442,509

9 Claims. 1 (CL 189-61) The invention relates to shades and refers more particularly to shade adapted for use outside ,a building.

The invention has for some of its objects to provide an improved shade which is so constructed that it has long life; to provide a shade which may operate as an awning or a blind; to provide a shade which is adjustable to prevent passage of light therethrough or to allow passage of light therethrough and prevent the passage of direct sun rays; and to so construct the shade that it may be readily operated from inside the building to which it is attached.

' The invention has for other objects to construct' the shade of slats which may be wound on a reel; to construct the shade that the slats may occupyeither closed or open positions, as desired, to prevent or allow passage of light therethrough; and to construct the shade that the slats are operatively connected to the reel by flexible strap means which is maintained taut by a resilient force cooperating with the reel.

The invention has for further objects to provide a shade with means for holding the slats in closed position; to provide the shade with a simple means for holding the slats in open position when they are unwound from'the reel; to provide the shade'with gearing for rotating the reel; and to provide the shade with an operating rod for actuating the means for holding the slats in open position and also for rotating the gearing,

With these as well as other objects in view, the

invention resides in the novel features of con- 'struction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shade embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View through the operating mechanism of the shade;

Figure 3 is a. sectional view through the shade illustrating its construction;

Figure 4 is a sectional view through a portion ofthe swinging frame member of the shade;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a portion of the operating mechanism;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing another embodiment of the invention;

Figure '7 is an end view showing still another embodiment of the invention.

The shade, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, is outside a. building and attached to a window frame of the building. The shade comprises the reel I, the swinging frame member 2 "below the reel, the series of slats? operatively connected to each other and also operatively connected at the opposite ends of the series to the ree1 and the frame member, and the operating mechanism d. The slats are capable of being wound on the reel and are also capable of occupying closed and open positions to prevent light from passing therebetween and to allow lightto pass therebetvveen, respectively.

The ree1 1 comprises the cylindrical shell 5 secured to the axial shaft 6 which is journaled at its ends in the brackets l secured to the upper end portions of the side bars 8 of the window frame.

The swinging frame member 2 comprises-the side rods 9, the cross rod Ill at the outer ends-of the side rods, and the yokes H threaded on the inner ends of the side rods and pivoted to the brackets i2 which are secured to the side bars 8 of the window frame intermediate their ends. The furcations of each yoke are at opposite sides of the lateral projection E3 of the associated bracket and these furcations are pivotally connected to the projection by the pin M extending therethrough.

The series of slats 3 extend substantially parallel to the axis of the reel l and are pivotally connected at their upper and inner edges to the pair of laterally spaced flexible straps 15. The upper ends of these straps are fixedly secured to the shell 5 0f the reel by suitable means, such as rivets, and the lower ends of these strapsare operatively connected to the swinging frame member 2 by being clamped to the bar It which is rotatable on the rod it. As shown, the bar I6 extends partially around the rod I0 and is rotatably secured thereto by the caps ll extending around the opposite side of the rod It and clamped at their upper and lower ends to the bar Hi, the lower ends of the flexible straps it being clamped between the upper ends of the caps and the upper edge of the bar. The slats normally occupy a closed position with the lower edge of the lowermost slat overlying and engaging the bar l9 and the lower edges of the remaining slats overlying and. engaging the adjacent lower slats. It is apparent that when these slats are in closed position they prevent light from passing therebetween.

- caps and having their heads abutting the outer side of the lowermost slat. .Each rod extends transversely through the upper edge portion of the-bar 4 E3 and the upperend portion of a -cap I"! and has secured to its opposite end the nut l9 abutting the washer 26. 2| is a compression coil spring abutting each washer and the upper end portion of each cap. With this arrangement, the coil springs serve through the headed rods to resiliently hold the lower edge of the lowermost slat against the bar. The remaining slats are operatively connected or tied to the lowermost slat by the pair of laterally spaced flexible straps 22 which are preferably hinged to the outer sides of the lower edges of all of the straps and, as a result, the remaining slats are also resiliently held in closed position.

The operating mechanism 4 comprises the gear housing 23 located between one end of the reel shell and the adjacent bracket 1 and journaled on the reel shaft 6 so that the housing is bodily swingable. The operating mechanism also comprises the irreversible gearing 24 within the housing and made up of the: worm gear 25 secured tothe reel shaft 6 .as by beingkeyed thereto and the worm 2t meshing with the worm gear 25. The worm26 is formed with the bearin @portions 27 and 26 which. are journaled in the gear housing and with the extension .29. The worm 25, its bearing portions 21 and .23 and itsextension 29 are hollow andslidablyengaged by the cylindricaloperating rod.3'il. Inoperative position the operating rod extends at .anangle to the windowframeand extends therethrough and is suitably journaled in the bearings 3| and 32 secured to the vvwindow frame. The lower end of the operating rod is formed with the hook 33 for detachablelengagement,by;the eye 34 of a manually operable rod 35. The oper- .ating rod 30 is nonerotatably secured to the worm '26 by means of the pin 38 which extends .throughthe upper end portion of ,the operating .rod 3iland also through the diametrically opposite longitudinally.extending slots 37 formed in the .upper end portion of the extension 29 of the worm 28. With this arrangement it will be seen that the operating rod 3! :throughthe 'worm 26 positions the gear housing 123 and that upon rotation of the operating rod tllthe worm .26 .can berotated to thereby. rotate the reel in .a direction to either wind the series of-slats,3 on the reel shell or unwind these slats from-the reel shell.

For thepurpose of.moving the series of slats L 3 .to open position, as shownby the dotted lines .in Figure 3, the operating rod 3%! extends through .-the end .iurcations of the lever 38 which'-is; se-

cured ,to one endvof the shaft:39. This shaft is ,journaled in the brackets -4fi which are secured to the top barS of the window-frame. Mare dogs alsosecured to the sha-ftiilgand positioned to engage one .of the slats 3 betweentheflexible straps 22. Each'dog comprises the arm -5,2;tfi ed to the shaft 39 and the latchAB pivoted -,to; the .iree .end of the arm by the pin M. The latch has the nose for-engaging one of the slats 3;-,and the abutment 46 at the opposite end normal held against the abutment il upon the armby the spring =48. -49 is a-coilspring encirclingythe :extension 2910f worm 25 and locatedbetween: and .abuttingthe gear housing 23 and the lever .38 to resiliently urge this lever upwardly andthere- .by resiliently .urge the dogs 4| upwardly and away tfrom the slats 3. 'The slats3-unwound .from the reel l .are adapted to be movedto open position by pulling longitudinally and downwardly on the operating rod 30 which through othespin 36, the washer 36' between the ,pin36 sand: the :lever 38, the lever 38. and. the shaft 39 lowers the dogs 4| so that the noses of their latches engage the lower edge of the adjacent slat and compel this edge to ride upwardly over the latches when the operating rod is further rotated in an unwinding direction. By reason of the straps 22, the corresponding edges of the remaining unwound slats are moved outwardly and upwardly to open position. To hold the dogs in engagement with the adjacent slat a ainst the retracting fqrce exerted by the spring 49, the extension 29 is provided with the lateral diametrically opposite slots 37 opening into the lower ends of the slots 3'! and adapted to receive the pin 36 after the operating rod 30 has been pulled downwardly and rotated in an unwinding direction. It is apparent that the rotation of the reel in an unwinding direction takes place only after the pin contacts with the ends of the lateral slots and upon continued rotation of the operating rod in an unwinding direct e f o e il ent maint th stress 15 ta t, spring devices carried by the swinging frame member 2 are provided .to exert .a force which O e a e n a dit on t re av t tcs ine th 1 er en o ti n o th .fram fim m er d wnwardly. Owing to thefact that thegearingjd isirreversible, it is apparent that the portions of the straps unwoundfrom the reelandthe series of slats connected thereto will be maintained in taut condition. Each spring device comprises the compression spring so within-each side rod abutting the tubular plugiil threadedinto-the bottom of the associated yoke ll andthe washeriii se u ed b th nu 53 upo he t sion rod 54. The plug 5i is adjustable tovary the compression eff ect of thespring 5 0. Thetension rod extends th rqu h t e. plus PH and 1 s nnected by the flexible linear member .55 to the bracket itbelow the lateral projection 13 of the brac et- T in a me be nss ins ing movement of the frame member is adapted to extend around-the lateral projection l3 .and,

,as shown, i a sprocket chain. .With this arrangement'itwill .be seen that the compression spring 5ilserves to resiliently force thesouter ends of the side-rodsfl downwardly. To limit the, downward swinging movement, the stop.56

is provided. This .\step is in the natureofa set screw threaded into the lateral projection 51 of the bracket 12 ,andadaptedto abut the lateral projection ,58 uponthe inner izfurcation of the associated yoke H. ,With this arrangement of stop, the shade is .adaptedto function as an awn- As shown in Figure 6, the construetion is such that the ,swinging frame member 59, which corresponds to the swinging frame member 2 is adapted to swing downwardly ina counterclockwise direction toassuine a. substantially vertical position so that the shade may function as a blind completely closing thewindow opening. In this case the flexible linear-member fillvwhichcorresponds .to the .fiexible, linear ,member is connected to the lateral projection iii of the bracket 62 laterally inwardly of the pivot pin 63 for pivotally connecting. theassociatedsid-e rod of- -the swinging frameinemberto the lateral pro jection of the bracket. .With the.exception..jof this stop arrangement, the-shade is constructed .in the same-manner as the shades of Figures l. to 5, inclusive.

liigure 7 discloses-another modification in move the series of slats to open position is operable from outside the building instead of from inside, as shown in the previous modifications. In detail, Ed is a sheave fixed to an end of the reel 85 and 66 is a flexible linear member, such as a rope, wound upon the sheave and extending therefrom to a position where it may be attached to the cleat 61 preferably secured to the lower end portion of the adjacent side bar of the window frame. The rope preferably has one end secured to the sheave, the arrangement being such that by pulling upon the rope the reel is rotated towind the slats thereon and by playing out the rope the reel is rotated to unwind the slats therefrom. The unwinding force is excited by the compression springs in the side rods of the swinging frame member and gravity acting upon the swinging frame member to swing its outer end downwardly. For operating the dogs, which are constructed and arranged in the same manner as the dogs 4|, there is the lever 68 secured upon the shaft 69 to which the dogs are fastened. This lever is connected at its free end to the flexible linear member 10, such as a rope, which extends therefrom and is also adapted to be secured to the cleat 61. For resiliently maintaining the dogs in their upper position, there is the coil spring H connected to the lever 88 and to the arm 12 which projects outwardly and upwardly from one of the brackets H3 in which the shaft 69 is journaled.

All parts of the shade are formed of metal or a plastic material highly resistant to change which might be caused by outside exposure. Preferably, the slats are formed of a plastic material, the straps are formed of metal'woven mesh which is flexible and the remaining parts are formed of metal.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A shade comprising a reel, a series of slats extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel and operatively connected to said reel to be wound thereon, said slats being operatively connected to each other to occupy closed and open positions alternatively when unwound from said reel, means for resiliently holding said slats in closed position, and other means for holding said slats in open position.

2. A shade comprising a reel, flexible strap means operatively connected to said reel, slats extending substantially parallel to the axis of a said reel and operatively connected to said strap means, and means for rotating said reel comprising a gear secured to said reel, a second gear meshing with said first mentioned gear and bodily swingable about the axis of said first mentioned gear, and a rod for rotating said second gear and holding the same from bodily swinging movement.

3. A shade comprising a reel, a series of slats extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel and operatively connected to said reel to be wound thereon, said slats being operatively connected to each other to occupy closed and open positions alternatively when unwound from said reel, and means for moving said slats to open position comprising a member movable into engagement with one of said slats for moving the same away from an adjacent slat.

4. A shade comprising a reel, flexible strap means operatively connected to said reel to be wound thereon, slats operatively connected at corresponding edges to said strap means to be wound on said reel with said strap means, means for rotating said reel in a direction to wind said strap means and slats on said reel, and means for moving said slats to open position when unwound from said reel comprising flexible strap means operatively connected to the opposite edges of said slats and a member engageable with one of said slats adjacent said reel for moving the same away from an adjacent slat.

5. A shade comprising a reel, a bar, straps connected at opposite ends to said reel and bar and adapted to be wound on said reel, slats connected at corresponding edges to said straps, other straps,

connected to the opposite edges of said slats, spring means between said bar and one of said slats for resiliently urging said last mentioned slat toward said bar and to closed position to thereby move the remainder of said slats to closed position through said last mentioned straps, and means engageable with one of said slats adjacent said reel to move the same to open position and the remainder of said slats to open position through said last mentioned straps.

6. A shade comprising a reel, a series of slats operatively connected to said reel to be wound thereon, said slats being operatively connected to each other to occupy closed and open positions alternatively when unwound from said reel, means for yieldably holding said slats in closed position, other means movable into engagement with one of said slats for moving said slats to open position, and means for rotating said reel and moving said last mentioned means comprising a rod rotatable to rotate said reel and movable longitudinally to move said last mentioned means.

7. A shade comprising a reel, a series of slats extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel and operatively connected to said reel to be wound thereon, said slats being operatively connected to each other to occupy closed and open positions alternatively when unwound from said reel, and means for rotating said reel and moving said slats to open position comprising a common operating member.

8. A shade comprising a reel, a series of slats extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel and operatively connected to said reel to be wound thereon, said slats being operatively connected to each other to occupy closed and open positions alternatively when unwound from said reel, gearing for rotating said reel, dog

means for moving said slats to open position, and

a longitudinally movable rotatable rod for operating said gearing and dog means.

9. A shade comprising a reel, slats extending substantially parallel to the axis of said reel, flexible strap means operatively connected to corresponding edges of said slats and to said reel, spring means for resiliently holding said slats in closed position, means movable to a position to hold one of said slats in open position, and other flexible strap means operatively connected to the edges of said slats opposite to those to which the first strap means are connected to hold the same in open position when said holding means is in holding position.

ROBERT B. REID. GEORGE A. PRESTON. 

